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PSU hosts 44th annual Math Relays

April 10, 2012 12:00AM

Vernon Woodard, a student from Sumner Academy in Kansas City, Kan., works on an exam during PSU's 44th annual Math Relays on April 10

Nearly 1,000 high school students from Kansas and Missouri tested their math skills Tuesday at Pittsburg State University's 44th annual Math Relays. Dr. Tim Flood, chairman of the Math and Physics Departments, said that like a track meet, the Math Relays exams are challenging and fast paced.

Flood said the long-running event benefits students in a variety of ways, including highlighting the importance of mathematics as a course of study and allowing students to go “a little deeper” in certain areas of math.

“Some small schools may send only a few students,” Flood said. “But when they arrive and see nearly 1,000 others participating in math and having fun, it reinforces their love of the subject and encourages them to continue at the college level.”

Of course Flood would like a significant number of those to continue at PSU, in the same way he did.

The students tested their knowledge in a variety of areas, including algebraic equations and word problems, geometry, trigonometry, programming, number theory, logic and set theory and analysis.

The top 10 competitors in each of the contest categories will have their names listed in Yates Hall, and the top three in each received medals. The top performers will be invited back to campus for Math Honor Day later in the year.